NEED HELP finding info on disassociating those who aren't active.....

Lady Liberty

Dear friends,

I need help finding when, how and where I might find that announcement..publication...where the new procedure was not to announce ones as being DFed..but now they were to be annnounced as "No Longer One Of Jehovahs Witnesses".

With that change, it made it so that those who were not active could technically be announced. The treatment was to be the same as a disfellowshipped person under the reasoning that they by their lack of meeting attendance or ministry, they were "disassociating" themselves by their actions.

I think it was a couple of years ago.. anyone remember?? I clearly remember the cahnge as I remember wondering if this would be the way we would be disposed of. In fact a faimily member told us not to bohter disassociating ourselves, because we had already done that by our actions in pulling away from the meetings etc.

So if any of you out there with elephant memories..or really organized files could help jog our memory, it would be greatly appreciated!!

Thanks to you all and have a SUPER day!!

Sincerely,

Lady Liberty

Now that I think about it..wasn't it a letter that was read at a service meeting???

L.L.

seek2find

The new OM Book. seek2find

Lady Liberty

Dear Seektofind,

THANK YOU!!! Do you know exactly where?? There are some posters here that are in need of the info. I will try to pull it up on my CDRom, but it is only a 2003 version and I fear it may not be in there...you know..."old light".

Sincerely,

Lady Liberty

sir82

The change in the announcement to "So and so is no longer one of Jehovah's Witnesses" is in the "Organized to do Jehovah's Will" book, released about 2 years ago.

There was lots of groundless speculation, on this board and elsewhere, that the reason for the change was "so they could D-F inactives ones".

There is absolutely no directive, in that book or elsewhere, for elders to search out inactive ones for the purpose of expelling them.

There is plenty enough to criticize the WT on. When people criticize them for things they don't do, though, it adds to the ammunition of JW apologists who can say "See? Just more apostate lies!"

Accuracy is paramount.

Mary

The treatment was to be the same as a disfellowshipped person under the reasoning that they by their lack of meeting attendance or ministry, they were "disassociating" themselves by their actions.

I think you have to do something specific.....like accept a blood transfusion or attend another church or celebrate Christmas, etc. in order for this to happen. As far as I know, they do not make announcements about someone who's simply stopped attending meetings as being "disassociated".

fokyc

Lady Liberty

(2005) Organized to Do Jehovah’s Will Page 154

ANNOUNCEMENT OF DISFELLOWSHIPPING

When it is necessary to disfellowship an unrepentant

wrongdoer from the congregation, a brief announcement is made,

simply stating: "[Name of person] is no longer one of Jehovah's

Witnesses." There is no need to elaborate. This will alert faithful

members of the congregation to stop associating with that person.

(1 Cor. 5:11) The presiding overseer should approve this

announcement.

fokyc

seek2find

TO Lady Liberty. You won't find the OM book on any of the CDs it's a restricted publication not for public consumption. seek2find

Lady Liberty

Dear Sir 82,

According to the elders who met with us they in so many words said that they were concerned over our lack of meeting attendance, and in light of that, they asked us if we still considered ourselves one of Jehovahs Witnesses. We said yes..why would you ask that just because we were not at meetings. They told us that by our actions we could be considered no longer one of Jehovahs Witnesses. I remember thinking are they going to make the announcement? Is this how they are going to get rid of us?

Certainly by changing the announcement from "so & so has been disfellowshipped" to "so & so is no longer a Jehovahs Witness", it certainly makes it alot easier to jump from someone who has done wrongdoing in their eyes, to someone who..may very well just not be a witness because their not active anymore.

I personally know for a fact of of a congregation in Northern California where after this change, some over eager elders started calling ones who had been inactive for years & years asking if they were ever going to come back, and if they said no..then they made the announcement from the hall..."So & So is no longer a Jehovahs Witness". They have since been treated as DF'D persons. This coming straight from a elder to us, who was in that elder body.

So my point is that maybe it is not a common practice, but it has happened even in isolated cases.

Sincerely,

Lady Liberty

sir82

some over eager elders

Yep, I have no doubt that some semi-nazi types have "read between the lines" and misinterpreted what was said.

On the official S-77 form that is sent to the Society when someone is D-F'ed or D-A'ed, the elders must put a reason for the action. That reason has to be one of the "official" reasons given in the "Flock" book. The D-F-ing will be rejected, and the elders will get a nasty letter back, if they put "lack of meeting attendance" on that line. That's not one of the official reasons to expel someone.

Of course, if the over-eager elders are also diabolical, they can put anything they want to on the S-77. The Society would not know if they made it up or not.

Unfortunately, the organization is full of over-eager semi-nazi types!

But I still think it is counterproductive to state that this now official policy.

NEED HELP finding info on disassociating those who aren't active.....

Share this